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Church seeks government intervention on water charges

Finance | Vibeka Mair | 17 Feb 2009

The Church of England’s General Synod has agreed to seek government intervention against the water regulator Ofwat and water companies, over the new drainage charges on water bills that is set to cost the voluntary sector an extra £100m.

The new charge, which sees water companies bill non-domestic properties for surface water drainage on the size of their site area instead of the rateable value of the property, means churches, charities and clubs, which often have a zero rateable value, now face extra charges on their water bills.

The Church of England, which has set up an action group and website to fight the “rain tax and drain tax” has estimated that the surface drainage charge will cost the sector around £100m a year.

Martin Dales, a member of the General Synod of the Church of England’s parliament, told Charity News Alert that the charges were “iniquitous”.

Dales, who set up a private member’s motion against the charges in 2007, won a motion for the Synod (pictured) to seek government intervention against the water regulator Ofwat and water companies in a meeting last week.

He told bishops: “The rain tax is expected to cost Church of England parishes over £15m a year, plus a further £10m for seeking professional advice to appeal the initial bills. The Scouts estimate the total drain from the pockets of children into the pockets of water companies to be around £1.5m. Many small voluntary clubs and community sports clubs are reporting similar increases to churches, ranging from 100 per cent to 1,400 per cent and they have been making representations to government too.”

Environment minister urges review

Environment minister Huw Irranca-Davies also took up the sector’s case last week, writing to water companies to order them to review their drainage charges for sports clubs, charities and places of worship, saying they had to take into account what voluntary groups could afford.

Dales had also written to secretary of state for the environment Hilary Benn about the matter but complained that his reply was “all words and no action”.

Benn told Dales that “something was clearly wrong if faith buildings, amateur sports clubs and scout groups were facing hikes in their bills of several hundred per cent”, but advised him to take the issue up directly with the water companies.

Dales’ petition against the charges is the most popular on the Downing Street site, with more than 41,000 signatures.

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